Watercolour: Go with the Flow

I picked a photograph, one I had taken recently.

I matched the colours carefully and placed them on my palate.

I began with a wash, thinking back to my last attempt and the steps I learned.

I made sure to notice where in my photo it was light and where it was dark.

I added layers of colours, light to dark.

I finished with the sharp details.

I let it dry.

This week I dove into a different approach to watercolour painting. Instead of trying to follow a video, I let myself go with the flow and attempt to copy a photograph. I decided to do this (and the video last week) before diving into any techniques or lessons just to see what I could do and establish a baseline. It was risky, given I am not familiar with watercolour paints and how they work, but I found I learned a lot from playing around, trying things out, and making mistakes. Hopefully this will help me be kind to myself and willing to try new things when it comes to learning specific techniques.

What I discovered was:

• watercolour works best in layers that you let completely dry in between
• you don’t have to mix colours on your palate, you can mix them on the page before they soak in
• fine details are difficult to do (you really need to be patient and let the other layers dry
• capturing the feeling of a picture is easier than the exact likeness

Instead of a time lapse, this time I took a series of pictures as my painting progressed. This was not a good idea. Once I really got into the painting and was adding different layers, I forgot to stop and take pictures. So all I have are three early pictures, and one of the finished product!

Enjoy!